Five things to know about aerial surveillance in wake of reports Toronto police used a Cessna to track Rob Ford

In this occasional feature, the National Post tells you everything you need to know about a complicated issue. Today, Megan O’Toole examines police aerial surveillance techniques, in the wake of reports that Toronto police used a Cessna to track Mayor Rob Ford and his associates.

Do we know that police followed the mayor around in a plane?

Toronto police will not comment on the reports about Mayor Ford and the Cessna, which began with a story in the Toronto Star stating that investigators used the aircraft to “follow Ford and other people in Etobicoke.” The mayor’s brother, Councillor Doug Ford, initially substantiated the claim, saying he saw a police plane conducting surveillance over their mother’s home for five days in August — only to backtrack days later, saying he was “mistaken” and “it could have been the media.” Const. Sarah Diamond declined to clarify when and how Toronto police use air surveillance, saying only: “We do not discuss any investigative techniques.”

Isn’t a plane a rather obvious tool for surveillance?

Not necessarily. Highly specialized camera equipment allows officers in the planes to zoom in on targets from great distances, said a retired Toronto police sergeant with three decades of experience. “Some of them have these cameras that they stick out the sides. You can go to 10,000 or 15,000 feet, and you’d never see the airplane, you’d never even hear it,” said the retired officer, who piloted surveillance operations and spoke on condition of anonymity. OPP Sgt. Pierre Chamberland said, in general, residents are used to seeing aircraft, making it easier to remain covert. “You’d be amazed how people walk around looking at their feet, not looking up in the sky,” he said. But surveillance aircraft “are not very good for people who are looking for them… They’re kind of hard to paint like a cloud.”

What are the costs?

The purchase price is significant: Toronto police reportedly own a Cessna 206H, a model that sells for more than half-a-million dollars. Operating small planes is also a costly endeavour, which is why police must be judicious in their use. Aviation gas costs about $2 per litre, said Bob Martin, vice-president of airport operations with Million Air, the fixed-base operation for all aircraft activities at the Buttonville airport. At moderate speeds, a Cessna 172 — which fits four passengers — would use about 10 gallons of fuel per hour, costing about $80, Mr. Martin said.

What kind of surveillance operations do police typically use small planes for?

Air surveillance is frequently used in drug operations, said Drew Davie, a former Toronto detective constable who retired in 2002 after 27 years of policing. Beyond using infrared technology to search for grow ops, planes are valuable when regular surveillance techniques fail, such as when suspects pull “crazy moves” on the highway to throw a tail. Small planes, equipped with special binoculars to keep the horizon in perspective as the aircraft moves, are also used in rural areas, where unfamiliar parked vehicles would quickly raise red flags.

What about in urban areas? Is it realistic to send a plane out to monitor someone’s home, as initially suggested by Councillor Ford?

Air surveillance is not as valuable in a large city, Mr. Davie said. “There’s just far too much traffic, far too many large buildings [and] laneways, roadways, underground parking… I don’t ever remember using a plane in the city.” The officer who spoke on condition of anonymity said it was “very difficult” to follow people on foot from the air, while circling over an urban home would be a poor use of resources because of the high cost. Councillor Ford’s description of the plane over his mother’s home, which came “down so low I thought they were going to land in the pool,” is totally inconsistent with the goal of covert surveillance, sources say. “That would be like me following you through the Eaton Centre 10 feet behind you,” Mr. Davie said. “It doesn’t make any sense.”